History & Mission

The Commission On Equal Opportunities (CEO) is the United States of America's oldest municipal civil rights agency. It began in the City of New Haven Connecticut in 1963. Mayor Richard C. Lee, upon returning from a U.S. conference of Mayors with the late President John F. Kennedy, addressed the issues of human rights in America. Mayor Lee established a human rights fact finding committee and held numerous open hearing to obtain information regarding civil rights issues in the public and private sectors.
The Committee's efforts resulted in a recommendation to the New Haven Board of Aldermen that a Commission on Equal Opportunities be created. Further, the Committee drafted legislation that was used for a city ordinance to combat racial discrimination. Thus, CEO was established in 1964 by the City of New Haven Board of Alderman.

This newly established Commission was empowered with the legal authority to take appropriate action against public and private employers, landlords and contractors with the boundaries of New Haven. Any and all discrimination on the basis of race, color, creed, religion, age, physical disability, sex, sexual orientation, national origin or familial status would be struck down.

The commission functions as a semi-autonomous civil rights agency and is presently located a 200 Orange Street, Room 402, Hall of Records Building, New Haven. The CEO operates under the general direction of a nine-member Board of Commissioners who meet monthly. The Board selects its Executive Director who is responsible for the administrative functions of the Board of Commissioners as well as staff. The Commissioners are appointed to terms from one to three years. The Mayor appoints eight Commissioners and the Chairman. The Board of Alderman appoints one of its members to the Board of Commissioners. CLICK FOR MORE...

The application process for the Construction Workforce Initiative Program (2013) is July 15th - July 19th 10am - 4pm at 316 Dixwell. Click to see Flyer